The United Kingdom Elections 2010

[Furunculus]

much like europe, it is not a goal that is worth any price, cameron has done a wonderful job of appearing conciliatory and accommodating to the lib-dems, and thus mindful of the publics (stupid) wish not to have a commons majority, so he is sitting pretty if there is a lib-lab coalition and its eventual collapse in eight months time. just look at hagues statement on conceding a referendum vote on AV, everything is cooperative and conciliatory, exactly what the electorate said they want, how will it come across if the the lib-dems jump in bed with labour now.................. it will appear crass and opportunistic, and it will be a nail in the coffin of cleggs' 'new' politics agenda.

the tory's have the dems over-a-barrel, they can't lose either way.

but you are correct to not that the game is not over yet, and it may just be tactical positioning from the lib-dems to strengthen their bargaining position.

[Furunculus]

some FCO blowhard leaks a putative tory bargaining position between the UK and the EU, seems pretty accurate to me:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2...ed-eurosceptic

and the text of the role-played letter:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2...-william-hague

[Beskar]

The Lib-dems will probably allow the Tories to do it, as long as they aren't involved in it. The thing is, if the Lib-dems ended up in power next election and the Tories were successful, the Lib-dems now has a bargaining chip with Europe to use for basically "free".

[Furunculus]

The Lib-dems will probably allow the Tories to do it, as long as they aren't involved in it. The thing is, if the Lib-dems ended up in power next election and the Tories were successful, the Lib-dems now has a bargaining chip with Europe to use for basically "free".

que?

[Beskar]

que?

Basically, the Tories want a concession from the EU? So let's say they do that.

This means in the future, the Liberal Democrats now have a bargaining chip, aka, this concession, in order to influence future policy in return to handing it back over to the EU.

[Furunculus]

what an awesome policy idea, i'm sure the electorate will be delighted!

that should go down in BOLD in their manifesto alongside all their other stupid ideas like ditching trident and an amnesty for illegal immigrants.

if they want to be taken seriously, they have to act seriously, and that means realising they are their to represent the electorate rather than play my-little-pony fantasy world.

[tibilicus]

Funny the Tories weren't more supportive of the idea of AV earlier. Here's a list of seats denied to the Tories which they would of won had a UKIP candidate not been standing.

Bolton West: Labour 18,329; Conservative 18,235; UKIP 1,901
Derby North: Labour 14,896; Conservative 14,283; UKIP 829
Derbyshire NE: Labour 17,948: Conservative 15,503; UKIP 2,636
Dorset mid & Poole: Labour 21,100; Conservative 20,831; UKIP 2,109
Dudley North: Labour 14,923; Conservative 14,274; UKIP 3,267
Great Grimsby: Labour 10,777: Conservative 10,063: UKIP 2,043
Hampstead & Kilburn: Labour 17,332; Conservative 17,290; UKIP 408
Middlesbrough South: Labour 18,138; Conservative 16,461; UKIP 1,881
Morley (Ed Balls): Labour 18,365; Conservatives 17,264; UKIP 1,506
Newcastle-Under-Lyme: Labour 16,393; Conservatives 14,841; UKIP 3,491
Plymouth Moor View: Labour 15,433; Conservatives 13,845; UKIP 3,188
Solihull: Liberal 23,635; Conservatives 23,460; UKIP 1,200
Somerton & Frome: Liberal 28,793; Conservatives 26,976; UKIP 1,932
Southampton Itchen: Labour 16,326; Conservatives 16,134; UKIP 1,928
St Austell & Newquay: Liberal 20,189; Conservatives 18,877; UKIP 1,757
St Ives: Liberal 19,619; Conservatives 17,900; UKIP 2,560
Telford: Labour 15,977; Conservatives 14,996; UKIP 2,428
Walsall North: Labour 13,385; Conservatives 12,395; UKIP 1,737
Walsall South: Labour 16,211; Conservatives 14,456; UKIP 3,449
Wells: Liberal 24,560; Conservatives 23,760; UKIP 1,711
Wirral South: Labour 16,276; Conservatives 15,745; UKIP 1,274

Big list..